This invention relates to apparatus for reducing the noise created by fiber processing machinery, and more particularly to a specially designed box for enclosing machinery which operates to open, blend and clean various fibers.
The initial step in the preparation of non-woven or random fiber webs is the opening or separation of fibrous tufts or stock into individual or nearly individual fibers which can be airborne to various carding machines and the like. The machine which is utilized for opening the incoming fibrous material generates a substantial amount of noise during its operation. This is particularly true in the case of opener and blender machines which contain a series of toothed opener and blender rolls that rotate at relatively high speeds in order to separate fibers. Many such machines include also an air inlet for admitting an air stream that flows through the machine to convey opened fibers to a pneumatic fiber distributing system.
Heretofore it has been customary to enclose most of the operating portions of machines of the type described within some form of cover or housing, both to protect against accidental injury to employees during machine operation, and also to reduce noise pollution to some extent. However, a major problem with such a machine is the fact that a substantial amount of noise is still emitted from the air inlet to the machine; and in many instances the noise proves to be more concentrated in the vicinity of the air inlet. The resulting noise pollution can be debilitating to the health of employees who must work near by such machinery.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide for machinery of the type described a novel noise reduction or suppression unit, which is capable of reducing by a high percentage the noise otherwise generated by such machinery during its operation.
A more specific object of this invention is to provide for machinery of the type described a novel noise reduction box which is designed to be secured over the air inlet of a machine of the type described, and to absorb most of the noise emitted therefrom.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.